Homemade Wheat Crackers

This wheat cracker is simple, inexpensive, and healthy!

Ingredients:
3 and 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour (preferably freshly milled)
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1 - 1 and 1/4 cup water
Flaxseed and millet, to taste (optional)
Italian seasoning, to taste
Salt for sprinkling

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine flour, salt, flaxseed, millet and seasoning (if using).
3. Add oil and 1 cup of water and mix until blended. Add an additional 1/4 cup if needed.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough as thin as possible (no thicker than 1/8 inch).
5. Place dough on ungreased baking sheet, cutting excess from edges.
6. Mark squares with knife or pizza cutter, but don't cut through.
7. Prick each cracker with a fork.
8. Brush a light coat of olive oil on top and season with parmesan cheese, additional seasonings, and/or salt.
9. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until crisp and light brown.
10. When cool, separate crackers into squares.

Homemade Body Scrub Recipe

Enjoy an exfoliating body scrub with my easy at-home recipe:

You Will Need:

1. 16 oz. package of Epsom Salt

2. Your favorite oil (such as coconut, jojoba, apricot kernel, olive, etc.)

3. Your favorite aromatherapy oil or perfume (such as vanilla, citrus, lavendar, rose, peppermint, etc.)

4. Optional add-ins (such as shredded ginger, lemon zest, grated orange peel, etc.)

5. A jar

Get Started:

1. Empty the package of salt into your jar

2. Add approximately 3/4 cup of oil into the jar

3. Add a tablespoon of perfume oil

4. Mix in any add-ins

For my body scrub below, I used coconut oil with a tangerine perfume and ginger add-in. The coconut oil is often purchased as a solid and will need to be heated for 10 seconds in the microwave to transform it into a liquid. I used ginger from the grocery store and grated it. You can use the scrub yourself or tie a bow and tag around the jar and give it as a gift!

Homemade Pretzels

Ingredients:
1 package active dry yeast or 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast
1/2 C. warm water
1 egg, separated
1/4 C. honey
1/4 C. or 4 T. of unsalted butter, softened
1 C. milk
1 t. salt
5 C. freshly milled flour (equivalent to 3 ¼ cups wheat)
2 T. coarse sea salt

Directions:
In mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add egg yolk, honey, butter, milk, and salt. Mix thoroughly. Add flour one cup at a time until blended. On floured surface, knead dough for 5 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl and cover with a damp paper towel for 1 hour to let rise. Roll out on floured surface using a rolling pin. Cut into one-inch strips with a pizza cutter and roll into ropes. Shape dough into pretzels (I made different sizes as you can see below).

Place on baking baking sheet. Brush pretzels with egg whites and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes. Serve with mustard or freeze for later enjoyment.

Not all Lettuce is Created Equal.

Know what you're gaining from the greens you're consuming so that you can get a variety of nutrients your body needs to feel and work at its best!

Iceberg - Blah. Adds a little color, but that's about it. Contains almost no fiber, vitamins, or minerals.

Romaine - These celery-flavored greens are the best source for beta-carotene, the cancer killer.

Arugula - Mustard flavored leaves containing 10% of the bone-building mineral found in a glass of whole milk and 100% less saturated fat.

Spinach - A great source of lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that protects vision from the maladies of old age.

Mustard Greens - These spicy, crunchy leaves are overflowing with the amino acid tyrosine which is known to improve memory and concentration.

Endive - This bitter, crispy green is packed with fiber and folate - a vitamin necessary for the health of pregnant women.

Watercress - A pepper-flavored HEPA filter for your body. Offers phytochemicals that may ward off lung cancer caused by cigarette smoke and other airborne pollutants.

Bok Choy - A bowl of this cabbage-flavored green provides 23% of your Vitamin A daily requirement and 1/3 of your Vitamin C daily requirement. It also provides a host of phytochemicals - flavonoids, isothiocyanate, and dithiolthione.

Kohlrabi - Each serving provides 25% of your daily potassium, keeping your blood pressure in check. Also contains glucosinolate which may prevent some cancers.

My Homage to Chick-fil-a

Since moving to St. Louis, among many things I love, I have found 2 things I deeply dislike about this city: 1) the wretchedly cold winters and 2) the lack of Chick-fil-a's that requires that I drive for 30 minutes, fight for a parking spot, and walk into a crowded mall just to enjoy a delicious fried chicken sandwich. So today, I have decided to celebrate my favorite fast food restaurant (ok, the only fast food restaurant I dare eat at) in hopes that more Chick-fil-a's will migrate out west.

Here are a few fun tidbits about Chick-fil-a:

1. No sandwich on the menu exceeds the 500 calorie marker (a rare achievement for fast food restaurants)
2. They use whole breast meat in their sandwiches, nuggets, and strips -- not pressed or formed meat
3. The chicken arrives raw and each piece is filleted and breaded by hand
4. The menu is trans-fat free

Best Picks are...
1. Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich on a Wheat Bun -- 270 calories, 3.5g fat, 940mg sodium
2. 8 pack nuggets with BBQ sauce -- 305 calories, 13g fat, 1020mg sodium
3. Southwest Chargrilled Salad with Fat-free Honey Mustard Dressing -- 360 calories, 8g fat, 1170mg sodium

While I appreciate Chick-fil-a serving superior meat and providing healthy alternatives, such as a fruit side and wheat buns, I must admit that not every selection on the menu is exactly wholesome. Below are a few items to steer clear from.

Worst Picks are...
1. Hand Spun Cookies and Cream Milkshake -- 790 calories, 33g fat, 660mg sodium
2. Chicken Caesar Cool Wrap -- 480 calories, 16g fat, 1640mg sodium
3. Chicken Strips Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing -- 800 calories, 60g fat, 1745mg sodium

Don't be fooled by the salads at fast food restaurants. Often times, they comprise nutritionally weak lettuce and veggies topped with cheese and fatty dressings. You think you have made a healthy choice, but you would have been better off with the fried chicken sandwich! In comparison to other fast food restaurants, Chick-fil-a does use Romaine in their salads, so bringing your own balsamic vinaigrette can cure this substandard salad.

The Perfect Pick

Here's a quick guide to picking and storing common fruits, including their nutritional benefits.

Peaches
Perfect Pick: Ripe peaches will have a fruity aroma with a background color that is yellow or cream. It should also give to pressure at the seams without being too soft. For future use, opt for those that are firm but not rock hard. Note that red blush on your peach's skin is a variety indicator and not an indication of ripeness.
Peak Season: June to September
Proper Care: Store firm peaches at room temperature in open air until ripe. Once ripe, toss into the fridge and consume within a couple of days.
Payoff: Vitamin C, Beta-carotene, Fiber, Potassium

Pears
Perfect Pick: Look for a pleasant fragrance with some softness at the stem end. The fruit should be free of bruises, although some brown discoloration (russeting) is fine. Firmer pears are preferable for cooking.
Peak Season: August to February
Proper Care: Ripen at room temperature in loosely closed paper bag. Refrigerate once ripe and consume within a couple of days.
Payoff: Fiber and Vitamin C (if consumed with skin on)

Pineapple
Perfect Pick: Vibrant green leaves with mild softness and a sweet aroma from the stem end indicates a ripe pineapple. Avoid spongy fruit with brown leaves and a fermented odor.
Peak Season: March to July
Proper Care: Store pineapple with a weak aroma at room temperature for for a couple of days until it softens slightly. Then refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Payoff: Bromelain compounds with anti inflammatory powers and helpful in digesting proteins

Pomegranates
Perfect Pick: Choose those with glossy, taut, uncracked skin that's deep red in color. The fruit is past its prime if, when you gently press the crown end, a powdery cloud emanates.
Peak Season: August to December
Proper Care: Place in a cool, dry location for several weeks.
Payoff: Antioxidants shown to improve sperm quality thus boosting fertility

Raspberries
Perfect Pick: Plump and dry raspberries with good shape and intense, uniform color are ready for consuming. Be certain to examine the container for mold or juice stains at bottom (indicating crushed berries). Berries with the hull attached are a sign of under-ripe and overly-tart berries.
Peak Season: May to November
Proper Care: Refrigerate unwashed berries on a paper towel in a single layer for (ideally) no more than 3 days. Cover with a damp paper towel.
Payoff: Contains the antioxidant ellagic acid (possesses anticancer properties) along with 8 grams of fiber per cup


Strawberries
Perfect Pick: Look for bright red coloring all the way to stem without any blemishes. They should have a fruity smell and be slightly giving, but without mushy spots. Smaller strawberries usually have more flavor.
Peak Season: June to August
Proper Care: Keep unwashed in a single layer on a paper towel in covered container. Here, they will last 3-4 days in fridge.
Payoff: More Vitamin C than most other fruits

Tomatoes
Perfect Pick: Tomatoes should be rich in color and free of wrinkles, cracks, bruises or soft spots. Ripe tomatoes will have some give, although too much softness is a sign of over ripe and watery fruit. During off season, choose Roma or Cherry tomatoes for more flavor.
Peak Season: May to August
Proper Care: Never store in fridge because cool temperatures destroy its flavor and texture. Instead, store at room temperature out of direct sunlight for up to a week.
Payoff: Lycopene, a carotenoid antioxidant that fights prostate cancer

Watermelon
Perfect Pick: Dense, symmetrical melons free of cuts and sunken parts are perfect for consuming. The rind should appear dull, not shiny, with a rounded creamy-yellow underside that shows where ground ripening took place. A light slap should produce a hollow thump.
Peak Season: May to August
Proper Care: Store whole in fridge for up to one week as the cold prevents the flesh from drying out and turning fibrous.
Payoff: Citrulline, an amino acid that's converted to arginine, relaxes blood vessels and improves blood flow. Also a good source of Vitamins C and A.

Apples
Perfect Pick: Firm apples with no bruising are your best choice. Worm holes do not negatively impact flavor. The smaller the apple the bigger the flavor.
Peak Season: September to May
Proper Care: Keep apples in a plastic bag in the crisper away from veggies. Here, they remain for several weeks.
Payoff: The pectin in apples help lower bad cholesterol

Avocado (Yes, avocado is technically a fruit!)
Perfect Pick: Firm without mushy spots. Should not rattle as this is a sign that the pit has pulled away from its flesh.
Peak Season: Year round
Proper Care: Place firm avocados in a paper bag at room temperature for a couple of days to ripen (through the release of ethylene gas). Place ripe avocados in the fridge.
Payoff: Cholesterol-lowering mono-saturated fat. Also used in the prevention of prostate and breast cancers.

Bananas
Perfect Pick: Ripe bananas have uniform yellow skins or small brown freckles indicating they're at their sweetest.
Peak Season: Year round
Proper Care: Store unripe bananas on counter away from sunlight or in open brown paper bag. Refrigerate ripe bananas or freeze for use in breads and smoothies.
Payoff: Vitamin B6 which prevents cognitive decline

Blueberries
Perfect Pick: Plump, uniform berries. As with raspberries, check the bottom of the container for crushed or moldy berries.
Peak Season: June to August
Proper Care: Keep unwashed in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Berries will spoil quickly when left at room temp for too long.
Payoff: Disease-fighting antioxidants

Cantaloupe
Perfect Pick: The stem end should have a smooth indentation. Should also have a sweet aroma with a slightly oval shape and good coverage of netting. The blossom end should give slightly to pressure. Avoid those with soft spots (indicating an over-ripe melon).
Peak Season: May to September
Proper Care: Store ripe cantaloupes in plastic in the fridge for up to 5 days (will begin to lose flavor after this)
Payoff: Loads of Vitamin C, offers protection against stroke

Grapefruit and Oranges
Perfect Pick: Should give slightly to a squeeze. Small imperfections won't impact flavor, but avoid those with large soft spots.
Peak Season: October to June
Proper Care: Store in refrigerator for a couple of weeks.
Payoff: Anticancer lycopene and 120% of daily Vitamin C in every cup!

Grapes
Perfect Pick: Plump and wrinkle free grapes with firmly attached stems are ready for eating. Red grapes should be without a green tinge. Green grapes are sweetest and ripest with a yellow tinge.
Peak Season: June to December
Proper Care: Loosely store unwashed in a shallow bowl for up to a week. Grapes may also be frozen for a delicious snack.
Payoff: Resveratrol (a potent antioxidant found in red grapes that protects against cardiovascular disease)

Kiwi
Perfect Pick: Ready-for-consuming kiwi is slightly yielding to pressure. Avoid mushy, wrinkled or bruised kiwi
Peak Season: June to August
Proper Care: To ripen, store at room temperature or place in a brown bag with an apple. Place ripe kiwi in fridge in a plastic bag for up to a week.
Payoff: 20% more Vitamin C than an orange

Lemon and Limes
Perfect Pick: Brightly colored with thin skin, these fruits should feel sturdy but give ever so slightly when squeezed. Lemons should have no hint of green coloring.
Peak Season: Lemons are year round and limes are best chosen from May to October
Proper Care: Store at room temperature in a dark location for a week or refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Payoff: Phytonutrient liminoids which have anticancer and antiviral properties

Mangoes
Perfect Pick: Ripened mangoes will have red skin with yellow splotches and will give to pressure. Firmer mangoes with tight skin and green near the stems that are duller in color are for future use.
Peak Season: April to August
Proper Care: Ripen at room temperature until fragrant and giving. Ripe mangoes can be stored in fridge for up to 5 days.
Payoff: High in iron, Vitamins A and E, and phenols (antioxidant with anticancer properties)

Papayas
Perfect Pick: A ripe papaya is beginning to turn yellow and is somewhat yielding to a gentle squeeze.
Peak Season: Year round
Proper Care: Eat ripe ones immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Unripe papayas are greener and should be stored at room temperature in a dark setting until yellow splotches appear.
Payoff: Fiber, Vitamins C, A, E and K

Cherries
Perfect Pick: Look for shiny, firm, plump, dark cherries. Avoid those with cracked or wrinkled skins.
Peak Season: May to July
Proper Care: Store cherries uncovered and unwashed in coldest part of refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Payoff: Offers protection against cancer and has been shown to reduce pain and inflammation in arthritis and diabetes patients

Greek Pizza

Last night, I made homemade pizza crust from my freshly milled flour! I used the crust for a Greek Pizza recipe I've made many times before. My husband, who has previously eaten the pizza served on store-bought whole wheat crust, even commented on the improved crust!

To make this pizza crust, you will use the basic bread recipe from my last post (with half the honey). Make sure to select the dough prompt on your bread machine. When the dough is finished, divide it in half. Roll out 1/2 of the dough on the pizza pan (using cornmeal for stickiness). Add your desired toppings (my recipe for Greek Pizza below) and let it rest for 10 minutes. Finally, bake at 400 degrees for 15ish minutes (oven times vary).

Next, bake the other 1/2 of the dough without toppings for 10-12 minutes. Freeze for later use (I'm told a clean trash bag works great for freezing the pizza crust).

Greek Pizza Recipe

Ingredients:
12 inch whole wheat pizza crust (or dough from instructions above)
2 1/2 cups whole fresh baby spinach leaves
8 ounces of cooked, chopped, seasoned chicken (I sautee chicken with salt, pepper, oregano and rosemary)
3/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles
2 Tbs. chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and spread evenly on pizza crust/dough. Bake for 15ish minutes.

The Basics of Milling

After weeks of researching and gleaning insight from experienced millers (i.e. my sister and cousin), I have finally milled my own flour! It all started when my sister, Katie, heard a woman speak at her weekly bible study on the nutritional benefits of milling flour. After sharing the information with me, I was immediately hooked! I no longer felt okay about buying "whole wheat" breads at the local supermarket that offered little to no nutritional value. Here are the basics of what I've learned:

A whole grain is made up of 3 main layers.

1. Bran - the outer layer containing the roughage that helps move unwanted toxins and poisons through your digestive system. The bran also contains many vitamins, minerals, and proteins.

2. Germ - the health center of the grain, overflowing with vitamins B and E, as well as unsaturated fat and protein.

3. Endosperm - the starchy white center. Blah.

Now, whole grains comprise nearly 90% of all the vitamins, minerals, and protein your body will ever need! Unfortunately though, commercially milled products do NOT provide you these nutrients.

Why you ask? Once the whole grain is milled, the oils located in the bran and germ oxidize and turn rancid within just 3 days! So for commercial purposes, both the bran and germ—and all the nutrients contained therein—are stripped in order to allow product shelf life.

Yes, most of the bread you buy at the store is made up purely of endosperm! You’re basically eating gluten, starch, and sugar. For marketing purposes, you’ll see products claiming to be “enriched with vitamins and minerals!” Don’t be fooled. The fact that a product requires enriching is a warning sign on its own. Besides, most of the essential vitamins stripped are not able to be replaced through the enrichment process.

If you're like me, you may be thinking to yourself, "Who has time to mill their own flour??" But I can assure you that milling hasn't been nearly as time consuming as I originally imagined. Yes, it takes longer than picking up a loaf at your local grocery store, but the extra time is certainly worth the added benefits. Plus, if you have a bread machine, it does all the work - you just pour the ingredients straight into the machine and wait for your bread to be done!

If you are interested in milling your own bread, here's what you'll need to get started:

1. Mill - I have the Wondermill and love, love, love it! It's extremely simple to use and takes about 30 seconds - from start to finish -to mill a few cups of flour! Mine was a birthday gift bought off Amazon...you can also check out your local health food store.

2. Bread Maker - Although you don't have to have a bread maker to make your own bread, it cuts out a lot of time and effort needed to prep the bread for baking. Breadmakers can be expensive, so I recommend going on Craigslist and purchasing a gently used one for between $15 - $30.

3. Grain - I buy my grain in bulk (50 pound bags) because it's cheaper in the long run. Keep in mind, whole grains do not expire (only after the whole grain is milled does it have an expiration date). I found a vendor at my local farmer's market that sells bulk grains. Also check out local health food shops. You will probably need to request a bulk size order as most stores won't have 50 lb. bags hanging around. I store the grain in airtight paint containers in a closet. I have both Hard Red Wheat and Soft White Wheat which I usually combine in recipes.

Now you're ready to begin milling and baking bread! Remember, only mill enough flour for what your recipe calls for. Otherwise, it will be nutritionally depleted after 72 hours.

Here is a basic bread recipe to follow:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups hot water
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup honey (local honey is preferred because it helps in preventing allergies)
2 tsp salt
1 egg (optional)
2 Tbs. Lechitin (found at your local health food store)
1 tsp gluten (this makes the bread smooth)
4-4 1/2 cups freshly milled flour (equivalent to 3 cups of un-milled wheat berries)
1/2 cup ground flax (buy whole flaxseed and grind it in a food processor -- do not mill)
1 Tbs yeast

Directions:
Add all ingredients, except yeast, directly into your breadmaker in the order shown above. Make a little burrow in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the yeast. Follow the prompts on your bread machine for making wheat bread. Wha-la, you're done!

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Balls

These are so easy and they make a delicious, healthy snack for a child (or in my case, a hubby). Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked oatmeal
3/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 cup of chrunchy, natural peanut butter (ingredients should be only salt and peanuts)
3/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 C. raisins
3 -4 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and millet (optional, but makes it super healthy!)

Directions:
Stir together oats, milk powder, flaxseed, and millet. Blend together peanut butter, honey, vanilla, and raisins. Stir mixtures together. Shape into small balls and store in refrigerator. Serve chilled.



Enjoy :)

E****, Nea Zoi, and More...

Tomorrow we leave for Camp Kalamos where we will be spending the week with 150 teenage campers. I won't have internet access, so I wanted to give an update before I left. Also, please pray that God would supply us with energy to finish the race strong. I can't believe this is our last week in Greece! We will need lots of energy this week, but will be getting little sleep. Pray that we would be the hands and feet of Christ and that the teenagers would be receptive to the Gospel. Finally, pray that our focus would be on serving this camp whole-heartedly and that our gaze would not turn to home.

We had a great time with E**** on Sunday. She was very reserved and seemed almost nervous when we first met, but by the end of the night she had completely warmed to us. She is 21 years old and it was obvious from our conversations that she's led a difficult life. When we took a photo with her, she became very nervous and fidgety. It broke my heart when she explained to us that she didn't know how to smile! We tried teaching her, but she looked embarrassed. She wants to go to the Greek Bible Institute next year, but lacks the resources to do so. Please pray that God provides the necessary funds for her to attend and that he would continue to grow in her a desire to know Him.

Wednesday was our last time to participate in the Nea Zoi ministry. It was an emotional morning for several reasons. First, I met a 21 year old prostitute, C*****, who is engaged to be married to her madam's son. The son fell in love with C***** and is helping her escape prostitution by sending her back to her home in Romania in August. He will then fly her back into Greece a couple months later and they will try to stay hidden from the Mafia. Please pray for C*****'s protection from the traffickers who have enslaved her to this work. Second, Chelsea and Sylvia (a Nea Zoi volunteer) were chased out of a brothel after sharing the Gospel with the madam and prostitute. They were accused of being heretics and Jehovah's Witnesses after attempting to explain the difference between Greek Orthodoxy and Protestantism. In Greece they have a saying that goes "To be Greek is to be Orthodox" and it's a precise statement! If you associate with any other denomination or religion, you are considered a heretic and a second-class citizen in Greece. I'm praying that God would soften these women's hearts to the Gospel. Needless to say, we're struggling with the idea of leaving here in a week and returning to our privileged lives while these women stay trapped in this prison. Third, I watched as a young boy about the age of 10 walked into a brothel with an older (but also young) boy. Although he was thrown out, it saddened me that a child would ever be exposed to this evil. Last week, Austen observed a father escort his son into a brothel for his first sexual experience. Unfortunately, this is not too unusual in Greece. Furthermore, it's quite common for married men to seek sexual fulfillment from prostitutes driving their wives to commit adultery in return. This perpetual cycle has created much cynicism from the younger generation towards love and marriage. Society is getting married later and later and many don't marry at all (although most are living with partners). We have been faithfully praying that God would do great things in Greece. We have seen his work and are confident that his spirit will continue to work in this country.

There is so much more I want to say, but it's time for us to leave for Kalamos. My deepest gratitude to those praying. God has truly blessed my time in Greece and I could never repay you for your prayer and financial support which has allowed me this opportunity.

Prayer Request

Today is a special day! We are attending church with E****, a prostitute from the New Life ministry. She is a Nigerian woman who was brought to Greece and forced into prostitution by her own cousin. In addition, she'll be accompanying us to Camp Kalamos for the day while we run a program for the campers. Please be praying for our time with E**** - that God would soften her heart to the Gospel and give her courage to leave the prostitution industry.

Also, I'm giving my testimony again but this time to a group of kids ranging from 6 to 18. Pray that God would give me wisdom in making my testimony appropriate for such a broad age range.

Redemption At Its Finest

I meant to post this before I left for Volos, but was so rushed that somehow I saved it rather than posting it. It's a bit outdated now, but here you go anyways:

As usual, we traveled into Athens Thursday evening to throw the children's festival. The only thing different this time was that Ron and Deborah, our mentors, stayed behind to have dinner with the pastor and his wife. Before leaving, I got the community center key (where the festival supplies are stored) from Ron and immediately threw it in my backpack which I bring with me every week into the city. As we were walking out the door an hour later, I decided, for whatever reason, that I didn't need my backpack this week, forgetting that the key was inside. I realized as we were standing in front of the community center that I had left the key at the Bible school. The festival lasts two hours and it’s an hour and half travel time each way, so going back to get the key was a moot point. I felt terrible, but my team responded graciously. Regardless, we headed to the park, wondering how we were going to entertain these kids.

At the park, anxious children swarmed us requesting face painting and balloon sculptures. I felt awful that I had disappointed the kids. Attempting to make it up to them, I suggested that we play some games. With a severe language barrier, it was very interesting and somewhat awkward explaining games, but they eventually caught on. Caroline, Emily, and I spent the next two hours racing around the park playing freeze tag, hide and seek, red rover, and red light/green light. The kids were thrilled and tirelessly begged us to continue playing again tomorrow.

After all of those nights of face painting, I bonded more with the kids that night than I ever have. I was so thankful that God redeemed the situation and gave me the opportunity to love those children in a way I wouldn't have experienced had I remembered the key. It was a good reminder that God is always working for the good of his children!

We're Celebrities!!

Dinner with the Assistant Mayor last night turned out to be a much bigger ordeal than originally imagined. We ate at the end of a long pier on the sea with the Mayor, Assistant Mayor, and some other important man that I can't remember his title. They ordered every kind of Greek food imaginable and I was coerced into trying lamb intestines....yuck! Thank you Austen for eating my portion. The Mayor awarded us medals along with a DVD and tour guide of the city. AND, they had the city's major news network come interview the pastor and a couple of team members!! It was a rare opportunity for the Protestant church to share about the ministry we participated in. The Mayor even inquired Melethes, the pastor we worked under, about the differences between Greek Orthodox and Protestantism! Oh, we're also going to be featured in the newspaper in the near future...so I guess you could say we are celebrities here in Volos :)

"One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure"

Picking up trash has turned out to be both extremely humbling and surprisingly encouraging. Volunteerism in Greece is practically non-existent, so most of the citizens have been incredibly grateful for our service. People have bought us drinks, honked their horns, volunteered to help us, and one old lady insisted on giving us her opened package of cookies. Even the Assistant Mayor pulled over on the side of the highway today to take pictures of us and invite us to dinner tomorrow night at his home! But most importantly, people have questioned who we are and why we are picking up trash on the side of the highway. This gives the Protestant church (there is only one in Volos) a great opportunity to connect with the community and share the love of Christ.

However, there have been a few people who have yelled at us for picking up trash. We're not certain why since we can't undestand them, but it was pretty obvious that they weren't happy about it. We've picked up several beaches while people laying out pointed out the trash that we missed. And last, but certainly not least, we've cleaned up former "homes" of gypsies which includes human feces and used feminine products. Don't worry, we wore gloves.

But God is good and provided us with the opportunity to swim in the sea after each day. It was the perfect rest needed after spending hours in the sun.

Aside from picking up trash, we assisted the pastor in the Wednesday night church service where I shared my testimony. God was gracious enough to give me the courage to step out of my comfort zone and calm all of my fears. Thanks for praying!

Volos

Sorry it has been so long since I last updated. We've been incredibly busy between the children's festivals and New Life ministry. We leave for Volos, Greece today for a week. We are staying at a camp for two nights where I will be sharing my testimony, so please pray for wisdom in knowing what to share with a group of teenagers. Pray that God would speak through me and that they would not be my own words, but his. After camp, we will be spending the remaining time at the church there. We will be involved with a ministry where we will be picking up trash all week. In the past, this ministry has provided the church with the ability to connect with the Greek Orthodox church and has given the church a good reputation in the community. Pray that the sun won't be relentless and that we'll have plenty of energy as we will go two weeks without a day off.

Experiencing Grace Through Creation

Monday we took a ferry to the Agina Greek Island for our day off. We spent the day exploring the town, taking pictures, and resting on the beach. The hours spent on the beach were a timely blessing from God. Emily, Caroline and I discovered a (mostly) unoccupied, secluded beach and unpacked ourselves there. We swam, took a nap under the sun, and then I spent quality time with the Lord. It was a peaceful and relaxing afternoon. Straight ahead was the dark blue sea with a mountainous backdrop. To the left was a view of ancient ruins. The sun was strong, but was offset by the constant breeze. It was picturesque. And even more, God’s timing, as always, was perfect. It was providence that God chose for the team to split up that day. Lately, it’s been difficult finding time to spend alone with the Lord because we’re so busy and the team is always together, leaving room for many distractions. But on this day, with both of the girls with me asleep, I lay there listening to worship music, reading my Bible, and just enjoying God’s creation. In those moments, I was absolutely certain of God’s goodness. I praised him for his creativity. I praised him that he allowed me to be there in that moment giving credit to Him for his beautiful works. How lucky was I to be experiencing God’s grace like that?

Ooops!

I face-painted all evening at the festival tonight. As we were packing up to leave, a little boy about 6 years old held up his hand for a high-five. I went to reciprocate and somehow (don't ask) missed and hit him in the head. To make matters worse, a bench of little old ladies witnessed the event and their expressions were filled with horror. They were mortified at the sight of me knocking some child upside the head. I repeatedly shouted the only word I knew to say, "signommi, signommi" (sorry), but he just stared at me with this perplexed look.

Moral of the story: Make sure to aim correctly when giving high-fives.

"The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you."

On Monday, our team visited the city of Marathon. Argyris took us to a few key sites and then to the Marathon Bay to swim. We were able to walk part of the route that the Marathon man took when delivering the message of victory against the Persians. He ran 26 miles to Athens in full armor to share this news before dropping dead. We also visited the Battle of Marathon trophy, as well as the tomb where the remains of many Persian generals lay.

That evening we cooked a southern dinner (sweet tea and all) for Argyris and his family. It was by far one of the best team bonding moments we've experienced. So much frustration, yet so much joy! We were feeding 15 people, so it naturally took a lot of preparation. Between grocery shopping, not being able to read labels, converting measurements, the microwave breaking, finding maggots in the garlic, and trying to cook 15 pieces of chicken on a tiny, portable grill, the night was full of obstacles! We ended up making at least 5 trips to the market and everyone was on edge. We planned for dinner to be served promptly at 8:00 pm and didn't sit down until close to 10:30. But when we did, it was beautiful! We ate on the roof of the Bible school with two living room lamps and the moon as our only sources of light. We cut fresh flowers for the tables and watched as a forest fire radiated in the distance.

I can honestly say that we never could have pulled off that dinner if not every single person on the team had been involved. And despite our frustrations and all the setbacks, the night was full of laughter. God graciously gave us the ability to laugh at everything that was going incredibly wrong. Our guests were quite surprised by our efforts and loved the sweet tea and key lime pie!

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday nights we were responsible for conducting festivals for the neighborhood kids. I must admit that I was not particularly excited for these festivals, but I continually prayed that God would change my heart. I asked for energy and a heart for the kids. Rachel and I were assigned face - or should I say, body - painting. The kids wanted everything painted except for their faces. And unfortunately (for them) they were not satisfied by hearts and butterflies. No, we had to paint Greek flags inside of hearts and tribal symbols. To my surprise, God provided me with a joy that surpassed my expectation. The time flew by and was consumed with non-stop painting of arms, legs, faces, and more. Some kids had 5 or more paintings by the end of the evening. It was awesome loving the children and praying for them by name as we humbly served them. Overall, it was a great experience as it taught me what little verbal communication is actually needed to convey love to a child.

Thursday we had a rare opportunity to accompany a class of students to Corinth. During the bus ride, I read Acts 18 and part of 1 Corinthians so that the biblical events of history would be fresh on my mind. But nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. We spent the entire day learning about the city’s rich history and soaking up the beautiful ancient ruins. It's impossible to describe the feeling you get when standing at the bema seat where Paul was judged in Acts 18:12 - 17. The sight is nothing less than captivating! The professor gave us a detailed history lesson of each ruin, statue, and architecture we saw. We visited the Temples of Apollo and Octavia, the Acrocorinth and isthmus canal, and sat on the ancient ruins of a 4th century basilica. As I now reread that same scripture, I have a new appreciation for these passages. I can imagine exactly what the town looked like and where it's located. It came alive for me and that was an incredible blessing!

Today I have officially been in Greece for 3 weeks. I can hardly believe it! Although I wouldn’t trade this opportunity for anything, there are days that I miss the comfort of home. I miss routine, making my own decisions, having dinner with my family, playing with my niece, and spending time with Caleb. Oh, and I miss Mexican food! I’ve been on the lookout, but have yet to find any Mexican restaurants here – even though I’ve been told they do exist. Anyways, please do pray that this homesickness will not develop into an unhealthy distraction from God’s work. Pray that I would find comfort in Christ on the days when nothing appears familiar and the distance between me and home seems to grow with each passing week.

Mou Aressi i Ellada

Last night we took the 2 hour bus ride into Athens just to find out that the community center (where we were supposed to be serving) was closed. That's a picture perfect example of Greek life! Instead of getting frustrated, we decided to have a leisurely dinner at the Omonia bakery before heading back home. I have never tasted Baklava so good!

Back at the Bible school, we said our good-byes to Brian and Lorrie (our current mentors) who headed back to America early this morning. It was much harder than I expected to say goodbye! We've shared some really fun memories over the past two weeks - staying up all night eating Nutella, hearing stories of their college years (and what a stalker Brian was - ha!), and Brian's endless tangents on how not to get pick-pocketed. Oh, and how Chelsea called Lorrie Glory on accident for the first few days we were here. It has been such an encouragement knowing them because they've been a wonderful example of husband, wife, mother, and father. They were honest with us about hardships they've faced, but always managed to point us to Christ.

We have new mentors, Ron and Deborah, arriving tonight and then another mentor, Sam, arriving in a couple weeks. It will be really interesting adjusting to all the different personalities and leadership styles. Only the Lord knows why he has placed each of these people in our lives and I am confident it's for good reason. We are excited to get to know them all!

We spent today cleaning and preparing a camp in Kalamos. It was long and hard manual labor, but the task-oriented members relished in the work. It felt really good to accomplish something tangible! We mopped floors, scrubbed tables, painted benches, cleaned cabins, and set-up beds. I was exhausted when we got home and participated in my first siesta. It was awesome! This is one habit I might bring home with me...

Tomorrow we are going to church and then preparing dinner for Argyris and his family. After he and his wife cooked us a fabulous, homemade Greek meal, we decided to return the favor. We are making a typical American meal with key lime pie for dessert. We're hoping it turns out ok as we had to substitute some ingredients that aren't accessible here. And we can't read Greek, so we did a lot of guessing as to what items were....we'll see!

Kalinikta (goodnight)!!!

A Blessing In Disguise

A really neat thing happened this morning while working with Nea Zoi. I accompanied Dina into a brothel assuming I would just observe as usual (due to the language barrier), and the working girl spoke English! We walked into the kitchen area which had a small bedroom connected to it. The door was open and the young girl lay unclothed on the bed. Dina asked her a question and, when the girl replied in English, sent me in to talk with her while she engaged the madam. My heart dropped and I immediately prayed that God would give me loving words to speak into this girl's life.

I learned that she is 22 years old and from Romania. She has been in Greece just one month now. She calls herself Mary, although we doubt that is her real name. During the ten minutes I spent in small talk with her, I learned that she moved to Athens to make money and that she didn't enjoy her work. She also told me that she was sleeping poorly and was working two shifts per day at the brothel.

When the front door of the brothel opened, she got up from the bed to greet her potential customer. About four times during the ten minutes I was there, she got up to do this. Each time returning without business. I could see the humiliation in her face. After returning to the kitchen one time, she stated, "I don't like these Greek men." My heart broke for her. She was new to the industry and the wounds were obviously still very fresh. I can't imagine the pain of being rejected over and over again. It's no wonder that these women's hearts become so hardened. That's the only way to survive.

Dina and I explained to Mary that we belonged to a Christian organization that wanted to help her. We gave her a business card and explained that we offered free life-skills classes and counseling if she ever needed anything. But most importantly, we told her that we believed in a God that cared and loved for her - and that we also wanted to love her. She graciously accepted a Bible and worship music before leaving me with a kiss on the cheek.

I am extremely grateful for this experience. God allowed me to take part in this wonderful ministry in unexpected ways and gave me the opportunity to speak hope and love into a broken girl's life. He challenged me to step way beyond the boundaries of my comfort zone. He allowed me to relate to this woman in a way that she was no longer a prostitute needing fixing, but a real person with real emotions and dreams. I won't forget Mary. I think she had a more significant impact on my life than I ever will on hers, but I will be faithful to pray for her.

One more Nea Zoi story. As we were discussing prayer requests this morning, a certain couple was mentioned. This Christian couple lived in Romania, until moving to Greece temporarily to earn enough money to build a home together. The husband subsequently forced the wife into prostitution as a means of funding the house. As a result of years working in prostitution, the wife has recently become mentally ill. Now, the husband has threatened to leave her with no family or means of legal work. Please join us in prayer that God would provide a host family for this woman to live with. That the church would be enthusiastic about supporting and loving this woman during this difficult time. And that she would know the hope and forgiveness offered by a God who loves her and created her for himself.